CLIP3 begins, the book fair, staff graduations

Interview with new teachers 🎤

Before the CLIP3 project began in earnest in December, we conducted a baseline survey to learn about the current status of the target teachers. All 26 teachers were interviewed and asked questions about their classes, teaching materials, and frequency of computer use.

As with the case in the CLIP2 Project, the primary challenge confronted by all teachers was a shortage of budget and teaching materials. Luckily, the school principals of our partner teachers believe in the importance of preschool education and are willing to allocate some of the budget for preschool classes. Therefore, teachers are putting effort into making the most of it with that limited budget.

Some teachers had already integrated our worksheets, Facebook, Telegram, YouTube, and our free resource website into their teaching methods and were pleased to work with us directly. Our goal is to enhance ideas for teaching materials, and we're dedicated to listening closely to the input of the collaborating teachers. This year, we're putting in concerted efforts to craft new and effective teaching tools. 💪

Simultaneously, we assessed the classroom decorations in the targeted classes in collaboration with the District Office of Education (DOE). In previous CLIP2 projects, the initial assessment occurred midway through the first year. However, this time, we opted to conduct the evaluation before the project initiation, allowing teachers ample time to enhance their classroom environments throughout the year. Another evaluation is scheduled for 2025 to measure the progress made. In Cambodian preschools, there are guidelines for classroom decoration, but these are not always followed. Even experienced teachers in some schools face challenges in maintaining their classrooms properly. It's important to note that the assessment results only serve as an indication of the current situation, and we eagerly anticipate witnessing the improvements in each classroom in the future!

Onward to CLIP3!! 🎉

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the long-anticipated CLIP3 project took place on the 28th of the previous month! The project has now expanded to include 15 schools and 26 classes spanning five regions in Pursat, marking a significant increase from the 10 schools and 13 classes in four regions under the CLIP2 project in 2022-2023. The primary focus is engaging 12 Provincial Office of Educational (POE) and District Office of Education (DOE) staff, along with 26 preschool teachers. However, there is also interest from other teachers who are willing to participate as volunteers. The target teachers are set to teach over 1,100 children in 2024, and the project is expected to benefit more than 2,000 children over the next two years.

In contrast to the previous year, this year's project kick-off meeting had almost 70 attendees. This included not only educational officers but also officials from local government offices overseeing education in the involved regions. It was affirmed that all participants were not only interested in the project but also eager to collaborate, bringing their unique perspectives to propel the project forward. 🤝

Additionally, a workshop took place on that day! As detailed in the previous article above, we presented the classroom assessment findings to the teachers and invited the POE staff to explain classroom organization guidelines. Many teachers from the baseline survey had not previously undergone any training for enhancing their classroom environment, or if they had, it had been a considerable amount of time since their last training. Therefore, the teachers perceived the chance to receive an explanation and engage in a Q&A session with the POE staff as valuable. Subsequently, our original classroom decorations were distributed, and everyone collaborated in crafting them together. ✂

Through this activity, the nervousness among the teachers seemed to dissipate, providing us with a brief yet insightful glimpse into each teacher's personality. This allowed for the cultivation of a positive atmosphere, fostering a collegial spirit among us as colleagues who are set to work together on the project from this point onward. 🙂

Khmer of the month

Khmer Word: Abrom

January 24th marks the "International Day of Education" as designated by the United Nations. At TukTuk, we embrace the significance of "Abrom (education)," and through our educational resources, we aim to support preschool teachers in Cambodia in enhancing their teaching. We believe that through this support, we can empower children with dreams and equip them with the tools to turn those dreams into reality. We are optimistic that these little dreamers will play a pivotal role in creating a brighter and more peaceful future.

Khmer Food: Cha Kravanh (Fried cardamom with beef) 👇

The book fair was a great success! 📚

The Cambodia Book Fair, the largest book festival in Phnom Penh, took place for four days last month, running from the 14th to the 17th. This year, the event featured an increased number of booths, totaling 300, and drew a crowd of over 200,000 visitors. Throughout this period, Sokha and Fy diligently managed the influx of customers and actively promoted TukTuk!

This time, our offerings expanded beyond Kamishibai, A5-sized storybooks, and posters of Khmer alphabets and numerals. For the first time, we introduced a worksheet book, compiling various TukTuk worksheets into a single volume. Our booth attracted not only preschool teachers and parents but also stationery store owners who expressed interest in stocking the book. Some even provided valuable insights into the content and binding of the books after personally examining our storybooks. This presented a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase TukTuk and gather diverse perspectives simultaneously.

To fund our upcoming initiatives, we aim to actively promote the sale of our educational resources, including the option of lending a copy machine for printing teaching materials at our office. 🤔

Interestingly, the highlight for visitors this time was the black-and-white A5-sized storybook designed for coloring. The uniqueness of the book sparked considerable interest, with many expressing that it was something they had never seen anywhere else. 👀

Thank you, Chhingchhing! 💐

After nearly 20 months of being part of the TukTuk family, we bid a fond farewell to Chhingchhing last December.

Chhingchhing initially joined us back in 2020 as an intern, and during her three-month internship, she gave life to the storybook "Meakara Meakara." Graduating from art school, she seamlessly transitioned into a full-fledged TukTuk staff. From interviewing teachers and POE/DOE staff to gather insights, creating a plethora of engaging worksheets, to designing a set of class decorations (over 260 sheets!) that everyone now loves, as well as TukTuk banners and polo shirts – she did it all!

Always sharing her personal artwork online to level up her drawing skills, Chhingchhing, though modest about her work in front of us, tirelessly worked behind the scenes to sharpen her talents. She envisions a future working in Phnom Penh, and the entire staff here at TukTuk fully supports her journey, considering her time with us as a valuable stepping stone for her future adventures.

Best of luck, Chhingchhing! 🌸

Toch is also graduating 🎓

Toch, who has been part of our part-time team since last April, wrapped up his work at TukTuk last month. This decision stems from his plan to pursue studies in IT-related fields, specifically web design and app development, at a technical institute in Phnom Penh, commencing this month. 👏

While his regular office duties concluded last month, Toch will be continuing to assist as a volunteer from Phnom Penh whenever he has the time. Toch played a crucial role during his time with us, contributing significantly to tasks such as binding a substantial number of storybooks and addressing issues with the occasionally finicky office copy machine. Despite his reserved nature, Toch efficiently completed tasks and proved to be a valuable member of the close-knit TukTuk team.

We believe that Toch found inspiration during his time at TukTuk, surrounded by experienced colleagues, and we hope that he'll gather numerous enriching experiences in his new student life and Phnom Penh adventures starting this month. Here's to Toch expanding his path toward a bright future! ✨

Voluntuker spotlight | Samnang

In this issue, we’d like to introduce you to Samnang, a dedicated member of the Rotary Club of Pursat (RCP).

What's your role at RCP?: I previously served as the president of RCP and currently hold the position of Club Administration Chair. In this role, I oversee the club's administrative tasks and coordinate events.

What do you do outside RCP?: I work as a biology and earth science teacher at a public middle school. Additionally, I am part of the school program staff at a school operated by the Rotary Club in Pursat. My responsibilities extend to collaborating with principals and teachers from public schools across Cambodia, focusing on maintaining a conducive school environment. This includes ensuring adequate teaching materials and hygiene supplies for both teachers and students.

Impression of CLIP2: Based on my interactions and interviews with teachers from the target schools during CLIP2, I observed a high level of interest and enthusiasm among preschool teachers, POE, and DOE staff. They are keen to implement this project in their schools and have elevated expectations for its impact.

Hopes for Preschool Education in Cambodia: I see this project as highly beneficial for early-grade learning, providing young children access to education. My hope is that early childhood education will extend its reach to all regions of Cambodia.

Samnang is characterized by a bright and cheerful personality, and we were particularly impressed by his amicable interactions with teachers, POE, and DOE staff when we collectively visited the target schools during CLIP2. We anticipate that his active role as a teacher will allow him to provide valuable feedback on our project during this year's CLIP3.

We are currently looking for volunteers with the following skill sets to help TukTuk bring educational resources to Cambodia;

• Google Ads
• Fundraising

If you want to get involved or know someone with skills that could help us spread positive education in Cambodia, hit that link below and say hi (we're friendly, we promise). 😉

Get Involved ⇢

Tuktography highlights 📸